Grammar Basics – Comma usage with addresses

As we work our way through the different uses for the comma, it is becoming increasingly clear to me why it feels as though no one can truly get a handle on all of the rules. However, I’ve also noticed that the comma could be considered the main traffic cop on the road to good

Grammar Basics – Commas with Dates

Before I start this blog entry, I want to say something about consistency. While it is important in many things in your life, consistency in your writing goes a long way. Regardless if you aren’t sure about how to punctuate something, make sure you punctuate it the same throughout the piece you’re working on at

Grammar Basics – Commas with Introductory Words and Phrases

Another day, and another kind of comma to discuss. As you may be aware of by now, there are so many ways to use a comma in writing, that it’s no wonder people get confused. And while you might be wondering why bother with learning all this, I think it is vitally important to every

Grammar Basics – The Comma with Descriptive Phrases

Here we are with yet another lesson dealing with the comma. I think when you realize how many blog posts, articles, and Style Guides are dedicated to comma usage, you begin to understand why this little punctuation mark is such a bother. Today, I want to talk about using commas with descriptive phrases. Basically, there

The Oxford Comma Debate

The definition of the Oxford comma (also known as a serial comma—or even a Harvard comma apparently): It’s the comma that follows the penultimate item in a list of three or more things. It is also a thing that many writers and grammarians love to debate, though I’m not sure why. So, let’s take a

Grammar Basics – The Comma with Dependent Clauses

(Notice how in the graphic I’ve included with this post, one person is dragging the other – or is it one person trying to stay with the other – this is the dependent relationship I want to illustrate here.) Well, here we are – back with another day filled with fun facts about the comma.

Grammar Basics – The Comma in a Compound Sentence

Welcome back to my crash course in basic Grammar. Today’s blog is centered around the comma in a compound sentence. First, let’s define what a compound sentence is. According the Chicago Manual of Style, (the end-all authority,) a compound sentence joins clauses by using a coordinating conjunction. (Coordinating conjunctions include words such as and, but,

Grammar Basics

As we begin to talk about Grammar and all the ‘rules,’ I want to take a moment to make sure you understand that I KNOW this is not the most exciting thing about writing. After all, the tough part is coming up with the idea. After that, you need to develop the characters and their

Kicking off the New Series with a GIVE AWAY!!

I want all of you to be excited about my next series of blogs. Now the reason I’m worried that you might NOT be excited, is because we will be discussing something we all roll our eyes over. Yes, I’m talking about Grammar. So, to make the series go down easier, I’m starting with a

Parts of Speech and your Writing

Starting this week, I will be publishing posts on different topics on different days of the week. Saturdays: Your Author Platform Mondays:  The importance of Grammar Wednesdays: Essential Elements of Writing Grammar and Your Writing During the two years I’ve been blogging, I’ve written several items on Grammar, but I’d like to start from scratch